Recent retreat of ice cliffs, King George Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula

Abstract

Comparison of aerial photos shows that the ice cliff in Marian Cove, Maxwell Bay, southwestern King George Island, retreated approximately 250 m between 1956 and 1986, but advanced about 40 m between December 1986 and January 1989. The advance in the late 1980s seems to be related to the cold austral winters of 1986-88. A topographic survey in January 1994 revealed that the ice cliff in Marian Cove had again retreated around 270 m since January 1989; approximately the same as from December 1956 to December 1986. In Potter Cove, the ice cliff retreated approximately 400 m from 1956-89. The more pronounced retreat here may be attributable to shallower water depths (<30 m). These ice cliffs retreats are discussed as a possible consequence of recent regional warming.